Creating A Priceless Heirloom - Antique Restoration, Wood .
Creating a Priceless HeirloomThe Trinity Credence Tablein memory ofCaptain Edward A. StatesAmerican Airlines Flight 587Artisans of the Valley103 Corrine DrivePennington, NJ 08534(609) 737-9364www.artisansofthevalley.comEric M. SapersteinSeptember 1, 2002
Preface“Designing and building period furniture is an artistic process, a scope carryingbeyond the considerations of functionality where the beauty of the form,materials, sculpture, and finishing all prevail, yet blend simultaneously.My father and I would like to thank Mr. Grant Fraser for his devotion to thisproject, he has been a pleasure to work with, providing us with detailedguidance while allowing true artistic freedom to triumph in this piece.The legacy behind a work of art creates an allure beyond practical assessment,generating sentimental value, shaping an heirloom, and defining what futuregenerations deem priceless. It is our hope that the story behind this piece servesboth to honor the memory of Captain States, and to help create an heirloom forthe enjoyment of future generations of Trinity’s congregation.”– Eric M. Saperstein
The Concept and the NeedEarly in January 2002, the Trenton Times featured Artisans of the Valley in an article entitled “Carving a Niche” where JanetPurcell tells the story of a 400-year tradition of woodcarving and furniture making transitioning to a new generation. Ms. Purcelldid Artisans a great service; the article captured the essence of what Stanley and Eric strive to achieve, and explained the legacybehind their dying art while showing a hope for its future.In a moment of coincidence, or fate, Mr. Grant Fraser, a Trinity Congregation member, read the article having just purused achurch bulletin announcing projects for the New Year. Included within the bulletin was mention of a new Credence table. Mr.Fraser’s connection between these 18th century woodworkers and Trinity’s need for a period piece didn’t take but a few minutes,and our story began.Period work fills a specific niche, and is by no means modern mass production furniture. The process is time consuming, and theresults appear truly hand crafted and finished. Artisans interviews customers with equal criteria that the customer interviews them,working with each customer to ensure they are familiar with the process, and the goal for a finished product. Every new customermust visit the showrooms, and explore 18th century woodworking before Artisans accepts a commission.Mr. Fraser described Trinity’s need for a Credence Table,or Communion Table, to replace an existing mismatchedpiece in disrepair. The project sounded intriguing to Stanleyand Eric, and they scheduled a site visit the following weekto begin evaluation of Trinity’s existing décor andrequirements, and set a plan for Mr. Fraser to visit their shopsand showrooms.Client Background: Trinity Church occupies an historicbuilding; a fixture in downtown Princeton nestled within thesurroundings of the university campus. The original RichardUpjohn Gothic Revival design was completed in 1868, withlater modifications by Ralph Adams Cram. The gallery organat the west end was built in 1978, illustrating classic Frenchdesign principles by Casavant Frères Limitée, Quebec. Thecongregation is highly educated, well versed in art, literature,and decorating. Working in this arena requires experienceand extensive knowledge of furniture, historic structure, anddesign principals.Stan Saperstein, with a Masters in History, a formalapprenticeship behind him, and 30 years of experience as awoodworker, excels in this area, and is never shy aboutsharing his knowledge or expressing an opinion – especiallytoward his son Eric, who is still studying to complete thisphase of his apprenticeship. Eric and Stanley spent severalhours discussing the principles of the Gothic period andconsidering suitable designs for the table and the carvingpattern options. This discussion began Eric’s research, leadinghim towards writing this documentary.The Memorial: Early on, Stanley and Eric learned that this project was a memorial effort in the name of Captain Edward A.States, a congregation member, woodworker, and the pilot of American Airlines Flight 587 that tragically crashed in Bell Harbor,NY November 12, 2001.Mr. Fraser explained that Captain States enjoyed woodworking with his sons, and often offered his skills and time to the Church.When Artisans received the commission, they were now working in the name of another craftsman, an especially importantconsideration when the design is original, and not a reproduction. An unwritten code among craftspeople and artists calls forspecial attention in a case such as this. As a result, this piece will become the 2002 Artisans signature, or portfolio, work.
The Planning and Design PhaseThe goal is to infuse the church’s Gothic theme into a truly sturdy and durable table while incorporatingTrinity’s Coat of Arms, an inscription, and elegant hand carving. Mr. Fraser specified the desire foran I-beam structure, and the requirement for frequent movement of the table to accommodatechanges in the alter configuration for various affairs. Artisans strives to meet as many customerrequirements as feasible within the physical space limits, structural integrity limitations, and perioddesign rules.The conception of this original design occurred shortly after our site visit, inspired from the manyfamous works of Grinling Gibbons, the most renowned English woodcarver of all times. Shown tothe right, Gibbons’ thriving career reined during the 1600’s through to his death in 1720. Workingfor the British royalty and kings including Charles I, William III, and George I, his work remains ondisplay in the palaces, churches, and homes of England. Shown below, is one of the most famedGibbons’ works, the Carving Room of the Petworth House in Sussex.Photo Print: Grinling Gibbons andthe art of carving, David EsterlyStanley finally broke through his dislike of travel and setout on a pilgrimage to London, visiting St. Paul’sCathedral in the spring of 2000. The woodworkingcommunity considers St. Paul’s as Gibbons’ greatestachievement, and is driving a full restoration. Since thetrip, Stanley has been eager to enter retirement fromthe State of New Jersey to pursue his calling as acraftsman. Trinity’s table provides the perfectopportunity to begin this quest, allowing him to create aGibbons-style piece.With Stanley’s nine-to-five retirement also came thetransition of Artisans of the Valley as a business to hisoldest son Eric. No longer bound by obligations tohandle the heavy work, he remains a design consultantoverseeing his son’s apprenticeship, and popping out ofretirement for pieces of special artistic nature. Stayingin character, he sticks to traditional pencil drawings witha simple architectural ruler and template. The conceptdrawing (left) illustrates the basic proportions of thepiece, and the carving that will enhance the elegance ofthis work of art.This design invokes a variety of Gothic themes withinthe carving. A rope carving around the tabletop edgecreates a transition to the apron, which features a Rosetteinside Guilloche design.This pattern will be a low relief carving, with a stippledbackground. Rope carving will continue around the feet,which also feature Acanthus leaf designs. Appliquécrosses substantiate the religious significance of the piece,and the inscription for Captain States will be hand carvedinto the shelf between the feet. The feature sculpture ofthis piece will be Trinity’s Episcopal Coat of Armssuspended between the legs in the center I-beam.I-beam designs are a traditional mortis and tenon structure, an art perfected during the Gothic period. This joint style is exceptionallydurable, especially in a hardwood like oak - a biblical wood customary for church construction and furnishing. The piece will befinished in a classic Jacobean stain, with a hand rubbed shellac and tung oil varnish finish.
The History Behind the DesignThe predominant carving style of this piece is low relief, the prevailing style ofRomanesque and early Gothic periods. It is important to discuss Romanesquecarvings, and the Romanesque period, as this time frame brought what we thinkof today as ‘woodcarving’ into existence. Trinity’s existing woodworking is Gothicreproduction, original to the late 1800’s Gothic Revival, a period revisiting theoriginal High Gothic era.Religious woodworking traces back to Egyptian times when the carving of religiousitems gained popularity. The earliest known religious woodcarvings are of Egyptianorigin. Statues of their gods, of wood or stone, were preceded by earlier PreEgyptian religious icons remaining on cave wall paintings. Although wooden relicsexist as examples from these periods, woodcarving did not receive real attentionuntil the Christian era.The persecution of Christians within the Roman Empire ended in 1313 whenConstantine of the West and Licinius of the East proclaimed the Edict of Milan,establishing a policy of religious sovereignty for all. The Christian communityflourished, and a new era of architecture, artwork, and furnishing dawned despitethe Church’s internal conflicts debating the sanctity of Christian art. In time, theartists prevailed, and the praise of God and Christ through human creativity, art,and design ingenuity proliferated though Europe.Romanesque Style BasilicaParay-le-Monial, France, 1090-1110Views from three anglesThe door of the Basilica of St. Sabvina at Rome remains one of the most important and earliestexisting Christian relics, providing a glimpse into the uses, methods, and designs of early Christianwoodcarving. Unfortunately, the perishable nature of wood left few desirable pieces from thesetimes, but enough relics exist to conclude the functionality of woodworking to church life of thisperiod to be much the same as it is today.Understanding which patterns apply to which period is sufficient knowledge to design a periodpiece; tracing the roots of these designs helps build a feeling of history behind an heirloom. It isimpossible to trace the entire evolution of woodcarving in a single document; branches and forksgrew in every culture, establishing vast fronteirs of design and form. As with all papers, the writermust transition between general and specific; establishing focus as is appropriate at the time. Thispaper covers the origin of Gothic carving, centering on the evolution of the feature patterns forTrinity’s table. Each perspective beyond the Christian use of Gothic design will reconnect to thistopic within the paper, in the end, creating a path toward the creation of Trinity’s Sacracy table.At the opening of the Romanesque period, woodcarving remained coupled to the establishedrules of stone carving, featuring rounded patterns commonly painted for detail. Taking theperspective of the craftsman of this period, stone, surprising to most, is easier to carve thanwood given the available tools. The timelines of our history books consider the Iron Age over,but mastery of this metal was still in the adolescent stage, only pockets of iron and steel showingthroughout Europe. Steel tools remained expensive luxuries, difficult to work given the technology.While a readily available blunt bronze tool can chip stone, exacting detail in wood requires acareful balance of density and temperament only carbon steel can provide.Examples of this era include the framework surrounding the doors in Norwegian churches, as atFlaa and Aal, the scroll-work borders on the choir-stall and wooden reliquary belonging to theformer monastery of Lokkum (1244) in Hanover, a few small wooden coffers in variouscollections, as at Cologne and Vienna, and several chairs in the museum at Christiania.The appearance of higher relief began to show towards the close of the Romanesque period,the doors of the Church of Maria im Kapitol at Cologne and the doors of the cathedral ofSpoleto. These latter doors, finished by Andrea Guvina in 1214, are perhaps the greatestachievement of Romanesque woodcarving featuring five-centimeter relief carving ornamentedwith twenty-eight scenes from the life of Christ. The existence of these works illustrates early useof figurative woodcarving within the church, most prevalent to doors, paneling and altars.
Notre Dame, Chartres, France. 1145-1220By the opening of the Gothic period, the evolution of woodcarving wasseveral hundred years in play, with metalworking and tool making followingsuit. Around 1350, the woodcarver’s bond to the rules of stone carvingbegan to crumble, inaugurating the greatest era of woodcarving.The roots of Gothic architecture and furniture design are based in thehumble desire to embellish the house of the Lord, and this it achievedwith lavish form and structure that tested human ingenuity to its fullest, asthe spiritual impression of the great churches of Medieval Europe andBritain have never been reviled. Gothic woodcarvers, using these highlydeveloped techniques and cast steel tools, provided churches the meansto extend Christian favor of carved wood to include the functional furniturewithin, such as seats, desks, and tables. Ornate wooden altars and choirstalls appeared throughout Europe. Existing specimens of the early Gothicera belong almost exclusively to the church; consequently, theirornamentation derives in most instances from cathedral architecture,consisting of crockets, tracery, foliage, figures, and battlements.The choir stalls in the Emperors Cathedral were donated by Kuno vonFalkenstein in 1352; he would later become Archbishop of Trier. Thephoto illustrates a fine example of German Gothic woodcarving of themid 12th Century. Notre Dame features a great many works of the GothicEra, including high relief sculpture as shown below.The nature of wood and its ability to accept exacting detail, hold sharpcorners, show creased folds, and finish in varying colors and textures allowedimagination and creativity to flourish among carvers. Further improvementsin tooling through the period, expansion of imagination, and new levels ofmedium experience quickly led to the appearance of finely detailedfretwork, interlaced lines, and piercing.Notre Dame, Chartres, France. 1145-1220High Gothic Stone CarvingFrankfurt am MainDer KaiserdomThe Emperor’s tre Dame le GrandeEarly 12th CenturyPoitiers, France
Trinity’s WoodworkingThe Gothic period flourished until the opening of the Renaissance in the latter 1500’s, however the influences of this great periodlasted though modern times. The church never truly departed from Gothic inspiration in wood and stonework. Trinity offers anillustration of these principals in the Gothic Revival style showing through both stone and woodwork.In fact, inspection of Trinity’s woodworking reveals a greatdeal of Gothic influence. The lectern and pulpit, choir stalls,and chapels contain examples of Gothic relief carving,sculpture, piercing, and fretwork. We highly recommendthat each congregation member take a moment to visit thealtar and chapels to appreciate the work already in placewithin the sanctuary. Thousands of hours of exacting detailhave already been dedicated toward bringing Trinity’swoodworking to life.The existing woodwork is finished in Jacobean stain and aseed-lac shellac finish remaining true to the Gothic period.Our choice of finish for the new communion table willmatch the original grandeur of this finishing process.Placement of a new piece within this setting must followthe spirit of the original architects and craftsmen. For thisreason Stanley’s choice is low relief, a subtle style suitingthe Gothic Revival, reflecting a more subdued ornamentthan High Gothic European cathedrals such as St. Paul’sand Notre Dame.Trinity’s most outstanding sculpture is a representation ofSaint Michael. Saint Michael is the guardian of the body ofMoses, whose name echoes as the battle cry of the angels.The statue depicts Saint Michael’s triumph over Satan inbattle with fine detail, carving, and piercework.
Setting the ProportionsApproval of Stanley’s design came through by the end of January, and Artisans received the formal commission around the middleof March. The target start date was June 1st, however Artisan’s interest in this special piece, and some free time in Stanley’sretirement lifestyle, resulted in a much earlier startup.Although the conceptual design is complete, the design phase is far frombeing over. Development of working materials cut lists and patterns remains.Conceptual drawings list only the basic dimensions of the piece, addressingthe primary concern of the customer, leaving Artisans to proportion eachindividual part and subassembly accordingly.Trinity’s tabletop will be 44” long by 22” wide; this measurement will be thereference for all other measurements. Tabletop dimensions provide sufficientinformation to purchase raw materials and begin patterning the legs, feet,supports, and carving. It wasn’t long after Artisans received the go aheadbefore the materials were in the shop. Shown at the left, this modest pile ofkiln-dried oak is destined to become Trinity’s new Credence table.Making the Tabletop and ApronSince the top sets the balance for the rest of the piece, the apron, legs, supports, and feet, it was the first piece made. The actualtabletop consists of two opposing grain boards and a four-piece mitered band. Banding serves for both esthetic purposes and toincrease stability. Shown below, the top is secured by bar clamps while the glue sets. The banding will also be secured using pegs,the more traditional method of the Gothic period. Artisans uses modern glues to add strength and durability to our work, but thepegs alone would suffice.Once the top measurements are set, the apron inset is determined, 1½” in this case, and the apron sized and mitered. Dovetailjoints often appear on artistic table aprons, however, Artisans chose a pegged mitered corner to allow the carving pattern a cleanertransition around the apron. Table aprons serve two purposes; they provide structure and stability when properly secured to thetabletop and in this case a surface area for carving.In addition to the table apron, perpendicular grain batons provide additional stability to a tabletop. On a small tabletop, such asthis one, two small batons are all it takes to reduce the risk of movement in the table surface. The batons will secure to thebottom of the table surface floating between the front and back of the apron.
The Feet, Braces, Legs, andh BeamsThe second key measurement is the height of the table surface, in this case 33”. The legs and feet must account for this specification,including the thickness of the tabletop. Figuring the 1½” surface thickness, the legs will be 31½”, accounting for the tenon length.The feet will be approximately four inches wide, three inches high, and 19” long. The length establishes the feet even with theoutside surface of the table apron. The braces will be four inches wide, three inches thick, and 17½ ” long, accounting for fittingwithin the table apron.Setting the length of thebeams takes into accountthe apron, thickness of thelegs, and the joint work. Inthis case, the joint will be amortis and tenon, with aflush tenon.Thelegsmustsitapproximately one half-inchinset from the apron, whichtakes place by default whencentered within the fourinch wide top brace.The shelf will include a blind tenon, in other words it will not show through the opposing side of the leg. The joint will penetratewithin the leg approximately 1½”, and will be secured using pegs. Once the feet were cut out square, the shape was formed usingthe band saw and a belt sander. These simple procedures change a block shape into a flowing form that accents the table whilesupporting the structure.
The Joint WorkDuring the tenure of the Romanesque period came vast improvements in knowledge of wood, fueling carvers’ and furnituremakers’ entrance into the Go
the carving. A rope carving around the tabletop edge creates a transition to the apron, which features a Rosette inside Guilloche design. This pattern will be a low relief carving, with a stippled background. Rope carving will continue around the feet, which also feature Acanthus leaf designs. Appliqué
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